Exodus 19: Lessons from the Prelude to The Ten Commandments

Introduction: Exodus Chapter 19 is set on the edge of Mount Sinai / Horeb. After 50 days of hard travel from Egypt, the Jews would remain in the same location for a year. Here, they would receive both God’s Commandments and His statutes. This includes more than 57 Bible chapters, including all of Leviticus and the first ten chapters in Numbers. Yet, as joyful as it must have been to camp near God, they could not be in God’s direct presence without dying. Thus, God appointed Moses to act as a mediator for His people. From this chapter, God reveals seven important messages that confirm the promise of Christ as the Messiah.

First, God loves His people. Using the image of an eagle willing to die for its young, God so loved His people that He was willing to die for them. Second, He loves His people for a purpose. He calls upon them to be a nation of priests and a light to the lost. Third, He wants His people to make a public confession of their faith. He also wants a faith so strong that leads to obedience out of love. Fourth, He wants His people to live their lives holy and consecrated in preparation for being in His presence. Fifth, although His people may try to prepare themselves through acts of righteousness to be in His presence, their sin has created a barrier to being with God. Sixth, also because of sin, every human is in need of a mediator to be reconciled to God. Finally, God promised that His mediator would go down to the people and then up again. This was a direct foreshadow of Christ. He would go down to earth in human form, die for our sins and then rise again to heaven where He now serves as our mediator and advocate.

1. God Loves His People. Ex. 19:1-4.

Image credit1

Israel at Mount Sinai - Source[1]

[1] https://www.pettengillmissionaries.org/2017/06/16/missiology-through-scripture-exodus-1956/

2. God Has Called His People to Serve Him as His Priests. Ex. 19:5-6.

3. God Wants All Believers to Make a Public Confession of Faith. Ex. 19:7-9.

4. God Wants All Believers to Be Ready For His Return by Being Holy. Ex. 19:10-13.

5. Sin Has Separated Mankind’s Ability to Be in God’s Presence. Ex. 19:14-16.

6. Without a Mediator with God, Mankind Will Perish. Ex. 19:17-23.

7. God’s Mediator Will Go Down and Come Up Again. Ex. 19:24-25.